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Pangi is a tehsil of Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, India. According to 2011 census of India
Pangi valley has a total population of 18,868. It is an administrative subdivision of the Chamba district situated in the northern extreme of the state. Sandwiched between two mighty mountain ranges, the
/ref> In southern side it shares boundaries with Lahaul and Spiti and in eastern side with Jammu and Kashmir. Chenab River cuts across the terrain in a deep narrow gorge before entering Paddar region of Jammu and Kashmir. With its deep river gorges and barren mountain peaks, it offers a wide range of scenery and vegetation.Editor-Director, 2013. Faunal Diversity of Pangi Valley, Chamba District, (Himachal Pradesh), Himalayan Ecosystem Series, 3: p. 3.
Till recently, this valley was the remotest Tribal area of Himachal Pradesh where road access to the rest of the state was established only in the mid-1990s. So forbidding was this snowy range regarded in former times of the
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/ref> It is possible that occasionally, owing to political influence, part of central Asian trade deviated from its original course and followed the less accessible valley of Cinab
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Earliest known evidence of human settlements comes from the stone inscriptions at Luj
/ref> and salhi.J.Ph.Vogal,Antiquities of Chamba state part-1 p.216 Epigraphy at Luj was erected by some local Rana of that time. It contains a verified description of the year when King Jasht Varman of Chamba ascended the throne. The inscription clearly states that this stone was erected during the first year of King Jasht Varman's reign. The establishment year is noted as Hindu calendar 8, which corresponds to the year 1105 AD. From this year onward, the chronology of the Chamba kings became accurate. The inscription suggests that At that time, the kingdom of Chamba extended up to the village of Luj in Pangi.अमर सिंह रणपतिया,पांगी pp.22-23
inscription at salhi reveals that the stone was established in the 27th year of King Lalit Varman's reign by a rana named Rajanaka Ludarpal. The year of establishment is given as Shastra Samvat 46, which was in use in the Chamba kingdom at that time. Upon calculating the timeline, King Lalit Varman's reign is determined to have started in 1143 CE, and his 27th year corresponds to 1170 CE. On that stone, Pangi was referred to as "पंगति", while in the local language, people called it "पैंगइ".अमर सिंह रणपतिया,पांगी p.23 These stone inscriptions suggest that local ranas ruled the area under the suzerainty of the kings of Chamba. The descendants of these ranas still live humble peasant lives in the area.J.Ph.Vogal,Antiquities of Chamba state part-1 p.118
king to take complete control of Pangi valley was Prithvi Singh.Prithvi singh's father was dethroned by Jagat Singh of Nurpur. Prithvi Singh asked and obtained help in money and troops from the rajas of Mandi and Suket, to enable him to recover his kingdom. Passing through Kullu district, he crossed the
/ref> Prithvi Singh divided Pangi ilaqa into three parganas with their chief places at Sach, Killar and Dharwas.He also ordered the construction of State Kothis at these places and appointed state representatives at these Kothis
/ref>J.Ph.Vogal,Antiquities of Chamba state part-1 p.16 A little farther down near the village of Phindru before the temple of Sidh baba the path has been partly hewn out of the solid rock. This was probably done in the reign of Prithvi Singh, as appears from rock-inscription containing the name of him and dated sastra 18 corresponding to A.D. 1642–3.J.Ph.Vogal,Antiquities of Chamba state part-1 p.24 The temple of Malasni Devi at Porthi village also bears an inscription of Prithvi Singh dated Sastra-Samvat 27 (A.D.1651).
Chatar Singh, Prithvi Singh's successor, also visited Pangi to extend his influence over the region. He led his army lower down the Chandrabhaga Valley, invading Paddar. There, he removed the local Ranas and appointed his own officials. He also founded a town on the plain, naming it Chatargarh. This town was later renamed Gulabgarh when the Dogra forces invaded it in 1836.THAKUR SEN NEGI IAS, State Editor, District Gazetteers, HIMACHAL PRADESH p.130
Other royal inscriptions in Pangi include two fountain stones at Porthi which were constructed in the reign of Ugar Singh in Sastra Samvat 1 (A.D.1725). The state Kothi at Sach also has an inscription in Takri recording the foundation of building by Raja Ugar singh in Samvat 1 (A.D.1725).J.Ph.Vogal,Antiquities of Chamba state part-1 p.16
After the defeat of Sikh Empire in Punjab the area opened up to the British Empire. In 1864, major Blair Reid who was British superintendent to chamba state convinced the Raja to transfer the management of forests of chamba state including the forests of Pangi to the British Government. This was formalized through a lease agreement dated 10 September 1864 for a duration of 99 years, with provisions for revision every 20 years. Under the terms of the lease, the British Government agreed to pay the state an annual amount of Rs. 22,000. As a result, the of the valley were placed under the direct control of the Imperial Forest Department.The British extensively felled trees from the forests in the region, employing large-scale logging practices. The Lumber was floated downriver to the plains, where it was extracted and utilized for various purposes, including the construction of railway infrastructure and other projects.Dr.J. Hutchison,GAZETTEER OF THE CHAMBA STATE PART A-1904 p.110 There was a famine in the valley in 1878–79 due to the early arrival of winter and the destruction of crops. Grain had to be imported from curah. Potatoes were introduced to the valley in 1878 by R.T. Burney, then superintendent of Chamba State.Dr.J. Hutchison,GAZETTEER OF THE CHAMBA STATE PART A-1904 p.204
Pangi Valley experienced a catastrophic
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The river Chandrabhaga flows through the entire length of the valley, covering a distance of nearly 85 kilometers from Karru Nallah to Sansari Nallah. The river originates from the mountains of the Baralacha Pass. The Chandrabhaga divides the Pangi Valley into two unequal parts: the larger right bank, which gradually rises to the Zanskar Range, and the narrow left flank, which ascends steeply towards the Pir Panjal range. The main Tributary of the Chandrabhaga in the Pangi Valley are Karru Nallah and Saichu Nallah. The Saichu Nallah joins the Chandrabhaga from the right near the settlement of Cherry Bungalow. The Saichu Nallah is further fed by several tributaries, the chief among which are Twan, Saichu, and Chasak, which converge at Saichu village. Several small streams originating from the Zanskar Range feed the river on its right bank. The waters of the Chandrabhaga are grey in color during summer due to the melting snow from its numerous sources. Editor-Director, 2013. Faunal Diversity of Pangi Valley, Chamba District, (Himachal Pradesh), Himalayan Ecosystem Series, 3: pp. 4-5
The Chenab River Valley is dominated by Deodar forests forests with some blue pine or kail and fir stands at higher elevations. Particularly on the left bank, the deodar forests have large patches of scrub and some grasses. Understory is rare in the coniferous forests, but in depressions, moist and open slopes, other broadleaved species do occur.
Depressions and moist slopes also have patches of broadleaved forests dominated by species such as Hazelnut, walnut, maple, elm, willow, and Populus. Further downstream near Luj, Pinus gerardiana and Aesculus trees are also present in substantial proportions. All along the lower valley are open patches with grass and Cyperaceae with scattered trees.
Most valleys on the right bank of the Chenab are east-west flowing, presenting a clear north and south face. The north-facing slopes are dominated mostly by birch up to an elevation of approximately 3,800 meters, which are sometimes interspersed with willow and honeysuckle. Beyond this, patches of dense willow scrub exist up to approximately 4,000 meters. In the lower Seichu Valley, the northern slopes are dominated by kail and deodar, while birch dominates above approximately 3,200 meters. In the entire valley, above the birch and willows, are Alpine tundra with relatively high cover of Forb and Graminoid.
The valley also supports a diverse range of fauna adapted to its high-altitude environment. Herbivorous species include the ibex, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan goral, Himalayan serow, markhor, hangul, and long-tailed marmot. Predatory mammals found in the valley include the elusive snow leopard, brown bear, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan wolf, and red fox. These species contribute to the rich biodiversity of the region, reflecting the unique ecological characteristics of the Pangi Valley. A few interesting patterns can be noted regarding occurrence of species. True Himalayan species such as the Himalayan tahr and serow are confined to the left bank of the river, while the right bank is home to the more Trans-Himalayan elements such as the ibex and the snow leopard. Other ‘Himalayan’ species such as the black bear, musk deer and goral occurred on the right bank also, but were more confined in distribution.
The Pangwal community is deeply religious, with a particular devotion to Devi, Nag (serpent deities), and Shiva. The principal temple is that of Mindhal Basini Devi, located in Mindhal, which serves as an important pilgrimage site. Other notable shrines in the valley include those dedicated to Malasan, Sitla Devi, and Det Nag, among many others.
Traditional attire for men includes woollen pyjamas, shirts, a white cloth cap, and pulans (locally made straw shoes). Women typically wear a shirt with tight, dark-colored trousers, a woollen shawl, and a cloth cap known locally as juji. Most garments are made from wool, which is well-suited to the cold climate.
The staple of the region include barley, rye (locally known as elo), wheat, buckwheat, and millets such as sud and china, which are considered lower-grade varieties. Meat is primarily consumed during the
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